Jason Pinter's 'The Man in Black'

Alan Sepinwall, Hugh Howey, and the Death of "One Size Fits All" Publishing

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:58:00 +0000

My new Huffington Post blog just went live. Read it. Like it. Love it. Or something. (but please do read it)

Alan Sepinwall, Hugh Howey, and the Death of "One Size Fits All" Publishing

9 Things Not To Ask a Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:09:00 +0000

1) Have you written anything I've heard of?
--This is like asking a plumber if he's worked on any toilets you've pooped in. Odds are unless you're quite a well-known author, like John Grisham or the Kardashians, you've haven't written something they've heard of. Plus, how the hell are you supposed to know what they have and haven't heard of? Just say 'yes', walk away and delete their contact from your phone.

2) Are you writing anything at the moment?
--At the moment, we're talking to you, so no. But we plan on drinking copiously, then going home to continue writing so that we may one day answer 'yes' to the above question.

3) Are they going to make a movie from your book?
--Again, this presumes you're published, have a film deal in place, and all the freaky things that can happen in the Go-Gurt machine of Hollywood work out so that Tom Cruise is one day being interviewed about what it feels like to interpret 'your' character. So unless this is currently the case, you'll have to explain that you have about as much influence as to whether or not a movie gets made from your book as an accountant has of rigging the Powerball for you. Once again the safe bet is to answer 'maybe', then follow guidelines from answer #2.

4) Are any characters based on people from your life?
--Odds are, yes. And if not fully lifted from your life, then certain traits are for sure. But you're not about to tell them that the main character's impotency stems from the confessions of your cousin Paul, or that the anxious, bed-ridden alcoholic thrice-divorced mess is based on your aunt Lorraine, so answer 'maybe' then ask if you can record everything they're saying for possible future use in one of your books.

5) How much money did you get for your book?
--You'd be surprised that, yes, people do actually ask this question. They're the same people who, when meeting a friend's baby for the first time, jokingly ask the husband, "Are you sure it's yours?" Simply ask for their social security number and to see their most recent bank statements, then laugh and say it's just for research. And if they're stupid enough to give it to you, steal all their money and give it to The Human Fund.

6) Where do you get your ideas from?
--Since most writers get their ideas from the exact same place--that netherworld known as 'I have no idea' and 'beats the hell out of me'--just respond with "from the Internet" and repeat the answer to #2.

7) Can I give you an idea for your next book?
--First off, nobody asked you. Do we walk into your job at the mortuary and ask if we can touch up deceased Uncle Walter? For some reason, people think you're constantly scouring the earth looking for ideas for your next book, waiting for a stranger to politely offer to lend you the story of the time they burnt their tongue eating a slice of pizza because it would be the perfect motivation for your villain's murderous rampage in the third act.

8) Will you read my manuscript and critique it?
--Sure! And let me guess--this request comes from your Aunt's friend's son who's been a corporate lawyer for the last five years but is tired of the grind and feels he wants to be creative? Never seen that before! Besides, we'd like nothing better than to curl up on our couch with a 500-page monstrosity written by a complete stranger, which will take 8-10 hours to read, then sit down with a red pen and give you an edit letter than Maxwell Perkins would have been proud of. Do you realize how long it takes to read a book? And that writers get paid based on their output and producticity? Ask this lawyer friend for 10 hours of free legal advice in exchange and see if he jumps at the office.

9) Have you read those 'Twilight' or 'Harry Potter' books?
--Because we all know those people who've never heard of a single book until the movie comes out. Tell them that you only read old papyrus scrolls, that the novel died in 84 BCE, and anyone who participates in witchcraft or vampiredom should be burned at the stake. (and FWIW you're team Jacob)

Things I'm Not Thankful For

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:48:00 +0000

Things I'm Not Thankful For

A popular holiday tradition is listing all the things you're thankful for. A less-popular holiday tradition is listing all the things you're not thankful for. So here is my list of things I could most certainly, and would prefer to, do without:

People Who 'Endorse' You On LinkedIn

Assistants Who Were Born in the 1990's

People Who Tweet 'Good Morning!' to Nobody in Particular

People Who Wear Soul Patches

People Who Take Half an Hour to Make Their Coffee at the Fixins Bar

Bartenders Who Act Like They Have Something Better to do Than Take Your Drink Order

Nickelback

The Black Eyed Peas

People Who Like Either Nickelback or The Black Eyed Peas

Boy Bands

People Who Love Boy Bands

People Who Use Umbrellas That Could Fit the Entire Population of Guam Underneath

People in the Office Who Have Loud Personal Conversations

Guys Who Are Dickheads

Girls Who Date Guys Who Are Dickheads Then Complain About How All Guys Are Dickheads

Awful, Soulless Childrens Movies That Cost $200 Million to Make and Seem Like They Were Brainstormed by Accountants Stuffed in an Airless Laboratory

People Who Complain About "Traditional Publishing"

People Who Self-Publish Their Novellas of 'Cat Erotica' then List Their Occupation as 'Author'

People Who Write Blog Posts Giving Relationship Advice to Celebrities

People Who Ask Celebrities for an RT Because it's Their Birthday

People Who Request Your Friendship on Facebook Then Immediately Post a Link to Their Website/Blog/Cat Erotica on Your Wall

People Who Post Pictures of their Nail Polish on Instagram

People Who Post Pictures of Their Cats on Instagram (sorry, I think cats are weird)

People Who Post Pictures of Their Feet at the Beach on Instagram

Instagram

People Who Sigh and Say, "Oh, you know" When You Ask How They're Doing

People Who Still Don't Know the Difference Between 'Their' and 'They're'

People Who Say e-Readers Are Ruining Books

People Who Say Print is Dead

People Who Use FourSquare to Check into Starbucks

People Who Defend Chris Brown

Chris Brown

People Who Watch Anything Charlie Sheen Does

Charlie Sheen

Donald Trump

Donald Trump's Hair

People Who Still Refer to Bloggers As Living in Their Parents' Basements

People Whose Twitter Profiles Refer to Them as a 'Child-Wrangler'

People Who Refer to Themselves as a 'Social Media Guru'

Anyone Who Unironically Calls Themselves Any Kind of 'Guru' Unless Their Name is Guru

What are you not thankful for?

Why Publishers Hate Authors: A Response to an Article that Doesn't Deserve a Response

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:55:00 +0000

So what does it take to bring this blog out of mothballs for the first time in almost two full years? This article by "nationally acclaimed thought leader on the subject of the future of book publishing" Michael Levin, one of the most thoughtless, troll posts in this history of blogging: Why Do Publishers Hate Authors (which I link to while holding my nose and apologizing to my family). Aside from the irony of a 'thought leader' amassing a whopping 150 Twitter followers, or having a clearly self-written Wikipedia page, this Huffington Post piece is one of those delightful posts in which no real thought is used, no examples are cited, because the entire post is designed to get people riled up (consider me duped) without using any sort of critical thinking. I also chose to publish this response here rather than HuffPo, where I'm a regular contributor, because I didn't want this to be one of those 'flip sides of the same coin!' deals, especially since Levin did not present one side of a coin but rather a piece of ground up mulch he's presenting to you as currency. So let's go point-by-point through Mr. Levin's Opus:

Authors are admittedly a strange lot. There's something antisocial about retreating from life for months or years at a time, to perform the solitary act of writing a book.

What does this have to do with publishers hating authors? Nothing. Why is it included? No idea. And you know what? Some authors like to write books. Some enjoy the writing process. You don't want to write? Don't write. You don't want to exist in solitary while writing? Go write at a Starbucks. Nowhere in the non-existent writer contract does it say you have to retreat to a cabin in the woods and cut off all signs of life in order to pen your manuscript. Truth is the vast majority of writes have day jobs, many have families, and they don't shirk their responsibilities. Writing is a privilege.

On top of that, authors are flaky. They promise to deliver a manuscript in April and it doesn't come in until October. Or the following April. Or the April after that. This leaves publishers with several options, all of them bad: revise publishing schedules at the last minute; demand that authors turn in projects on time, regardless of quality; cancel books altogether; or sue the authors (as Penguin has begun to do) for undelivered or poor quality work.

So we're now three paragraphs in and it seems like the only one who hates authors is Michael Levin. Yes, writing is a creative endeavor, and creative endeavors are generally at odds with typical 9-to-5 work days. And no publisher wants to be put in a position where an author doesn't deliver on time, leaving them without both the manuscript they wanted (note: wanted) to publish, or out possibly thousands of dollars in advance payments. Publishing an author is inherently a risk-taking venture because you aren't always sure if the author will deliver, or if the book in question will make money. Generally you don't spend thousands of dollars in a risky venture with a class of people you 'hate'.

Authors are also prickly about their work. There are few jobs on the planet in which people are utterly free to ignore the guidance, or even mandates, from their bosses. Yet book authors are notoriously dismissive of their editors' advice. When I was writing novels for Simon & Schuster back in the late 1980s, my editor, Bob Asahina, used to tell me, "You're the only writer who ever lets me do my job."

Will you stop hating on authors already? First off, NO author is utterly free to ignore guidance from their editor. Nearly every publishing contract has a clause to this effect:

The Publisher shall inform the Author in writing whether the Work is acceptable within sixty (60) days of receipt of the complete Work. If the Publisher, in its sole editorial judgment, concludes that the Work delivered is unacceptable but could be revised to the Publisher’s satisfaction in a timely fashion, the Publisher and the Author shall agree on an appropriate period of time for the revision process and the Publisher will provide written editorial comments to the Author with respect to the revisions required. Should the Publisher find that the revised Work is still unacceptable for any reason, the Publisher may reject the Work by written notice to the Author.

The only authors who can ignore this kind of advice are the ones whose sales and/or influence at the house are at a level where they can get this type of clause stricken from their contract. And those types of deals are reserved for the mega-bestsellers who possess a rarified clout. Otherwise: ignore guidance at your peril. But here's the thing: if an editor asks for changes, and an author refuses them and gives a rational reason why they should be ignored, the editor will, far more often than not, concede the point to the author. It is the author's book after all, As literary agent Jonny Geller so succintly put it on Twitter: "A good editorial note should intimate a change, not prescribe it."

The three R's of the publishing industry, the strategy for survival, quickly became "Reduce royalties and returns." Returns are books that come back unsold from bookstores. Printing fewer copies typically ensures fewer returns. Reducing advances and royalties -- money publishers pay writers -- was the other main cost that publishers sought to slash.

When exactly were royalty rates reduced? Far as I can remember, standard royalty rates have been:
10% on first 5,000 hardcovers sold
12.5% on next 5,000 hardcovers sold
15% thereafter
7.5% on trade paperbacks
8% for first 150,000 mass market paperbacks
10% for every mass market paperback thereafter
In fact, ebook royalty rates (and audio as well) have gone nowhere but up the last few years. You could argue they're still not as high as they should be, but that's not quite the same as 'reduced'. Have advances declined? In some cases yes, in others, no. It's done on a case-by-case basis. Like, you know, any other industry.

More and more publishers moved to a minimal or even zero advance business model.

What publishers did this? Can you name any reputable publishers that moved to a zero advance business model? Vanguard Press, launched by publishing veteran Roger Cooper, was founded on a zero-advance, higher royalty model, but it did not 'move' to one. Certainly some independent presses offers lower advances than, say, a Random Penguin House, but it's not like indie presses were offering seven figure sums then suddenly said, "Here's five hundred bucks, take it or leave it. And by the way, we also hate you."

Zero advance combined with zero marketing to produce... that's right. Zero sales. And then who caught the blame for the book's failure? Not the publisher. The author.

I'm assuming Levin doesn't mean 'literally' zero sales, but the rest of his piece is no non-sensical he just might. First off, there are tons of books that receive large advances and don't sell. Similarly there are many books that receive modest advances then sell like bronzer to the Kardashians. And if a book doesn't sell at all? And that's an epidemic at that house? The publisher loses money. They then often have to reduce staff. And in the case of Vanguard, go out of business. But what was Levin saying? Oh, right, the publisher always blames the author. Go on.

Today, any time an agent or acquisitions editor considers a manuscript or book proposal from an author, the first place they go is BookScan to get sales figures. These numbers used to be proprietary to the house that had published the book; now they're out in the open for all to see. And if an author's sales numbers are poor, no one thinks to blame the house for failing to market the book. The author's career is essentially over. One and done. Next contestant, please.

Bookscan was NEVER proprietary, you nimrod. (trust me, I know this firsthand). Sales figures, yes. Bookscan, no. Anyone can purchase Bookscan access, and the press has access to it at any time. Book reporters use Bookscan figures all the time. Splitting hairs? Maybe. But since Levin makes no effort to delinieate or make any sort of thoughtful analysis (shocking, I know), it's worth pointing out. Oh, and career over? Anyone with Google or who pays attention to publishing knows dozens of cases where authors had meager sales, then wrote such a wonderful book that another publisher said, "damn the sales figures, this writer is worth publishing and we'll do right what the other publisher did wrong". I've acquired probably a dozen books from writers whose sales tracks weren't ideal. Some worked, some didn't, but we felt it was worth taking a chance. Is it tough to come back if a book tanks? Absolutely. But to say a career is essentially over is constipated thinking in an article that's full of...you get the idea.

It's completely unfair, but destroying the options of a writer actually has some benefits for publishers. Which leads me to think that maybe publishers are actually happy when authors fail.

Also: lungs hate air.

As authors gain traction in the marketplace, their fees go up. They can charge a publisher more money for their next book. The problem is that there's no guarantee that the next book will sell well enough to justify the higher advance the publisher had to pay the author. So if publishers can turn writing into a fungible commodity, they no longer have to worry about paying more, or potentially over-paying for a book.

The second part of this graph has absolutely nothing to do with the first part. Publishers are still paying large advances when they are deemed justified, and I can send Levin links to all the times publishers were criticized for over-paying for a book but that would take more time than he took to write this article and we all have Google. But just in case: here.

If publishers can commoditize writing, they're no longer at the mercy of unruly, unmanageable and unpredictable writers.

Dude, stop with the writer hate. Seriously. It's getting weird.

The problem is that they destroy the uniqueness and creativity that readers expect when they buy a book. As the quality of books diminishes, book buyers are less likely to turn to books the next time they need to get information about a given topic. They'll go to Wikipedia, they'll do a Google search, they'll phone a friend. But they won't buy another book. Publishers have begun to hate authors. But seeking to squeeze out the individuality and admittedly the eccentricity of authors is just one more reason why book publishing as we know it is going over the cliff.

What in the blue bloody hell are you talking about? Destroying creativity? Do you have any idea the vast amount of incredible and brilliant works there are available to readers in nearly every format imagineable? This is one of those maddening statements that is predicated on absolutely no fact, not even the courtesy of a single piece of anecdotal evidence, but it thrown out there like a fistful of monkey poop just so people will recoil. Publishers want creativity. They need creativity. Book publishing is going over a cliff? Listen man, if you used one shred of actual evidence, statistical or anecdotal, to prove your point, I'd consider. Happily. I've worked in publishing a decade and there are legit things about it that drive me crazy. But I don't stand on a corner naked under a sandwich board that reads 'The World is Ending!' because you know what, nobody will take me seriously. As nobody should take Levin's article seriously. The irony is that Levin describes himself (note: describes himself) as a thought leader, yet there's not one shred of actual thought in his putrid essay.

FAKING LIFE: Jason's first ever ebook exclusive novel now available!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:02:00 +0000

NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED ANYWHERE! - Available for just $2.99 for a limited time!

How much is one life worth? In FAKING LIFE, internationally bestselling author Jason Pinter offers a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller that asks the ultimate question--that could cost three people their careers, their souls, and even their lives. John Gillis is a lifelong bartender looking to jump-start his stagnant existence after the death of a close friend by writing a raw, unvarnished memoir. Esther is an ambitious young woman searching for career inspiration and true love and believes in John she just might have found both. Nico Vanetti is a fading literary agent, a former King of Industry, who sees John Gillis as his meal ticket back to the top. Nico knows that in entertainment whatever bleeds, leads, and so in order to reap the millions he expects from John's story he'll do whatever it takes to manipulate John's life behind the scenes--even if it means forcing him to pay with his life. FAKING LIFE is high-stakes novel of suspense that shows just how far people will go to alter reality--even if it comes at the ultimate price.

Buy FAKING LIFE on Amazon Kindle!

Coming in 2011: Jason's first book for young readers!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:48:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that I have just agreed to a deal to publish my very first book for young readers, tentatively scheduled to be released in late summer/early fall of 2011. I've been eager to write a book for children for a very, very long time and could not be more excited about this story, and must thank my editor and new publisher who have been enthusiastic about Zeke literally from the get go. Every time I talk to people about where my love of reading came from, I always say that it grew from the books I read as a kid. And with this new series I aim to write the kind of book that I loved when I was growing up. The kind of series and characters that I hope kids with vivid, active imaginations around the world will embrace and cherish. This is for them.

Here is the official release direct from Publishers Marketplace:

Jason Pinter's ZEKE BARTHOLOMEW: SUPERSPY!, a new series about a nerdy seventh grader who is mistaken for the world's most dangerous kid spy, and must save the planet with the help of some totally impractical gadgets, a mysterious young girl, and a little bit of dumb luck, to Daniel Ehrenhaft at Jabberwocky, in a two-book deal, by Joe Veltre at The Veltre Company.

Here's why I love Zeke Bartholomew and why I think kids all over the world will too: Zeke is just like me and you. Chances are that when you were 12, you were a little like Zeke. He's not all that popular, kind of dorky, not particularly brave, not particularly skilled, and must rely on the same things you or I might if we were tasked with saving the world (that's where the dumb luck part comes in). But perhaps there is a fire inside Zeke just waiting to be sparked...

These books will be funny and full of adventure and I can't wait to share more about Zeke's world with you. There will be action, humor, and a whole lot of gadgets that seem to serve no useful purpose whatsoever (but maybe Zeke will find a use for them). Because in 2011, the fate of the world will be in the hands of a 12-year old boy who tends to get the hiccups at the most inopportune times...which means we're all in big, big trouble...

A Note for Readers of THE HUNTERS

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:51:00 +0000

I recently went to Amazon.com and was surprised to find rampant criticism of my free ebook novella THE HUNTERS, criticism that nothing to do with the content but with the publication of the book itself. Most were upset that THE HUNTERS was not a full-length novel, others incorrectly assumed that THE HUNTERS was simply a republication of several chapters from another one of my books under a different name. Based on those incorrect assumptions, many felt the book was a "gimmick" and blasted me for "lying" to readers. This could not be farther from the truth.

Let me make this clear: THE HUNTERS is not a full novel. It is a novella, about 40-50 pages long. It takes place during one frantic night between THE FURY and THE DARKNESS.

However: THE HUNTERS has never been published anywhere previously. It is not a 'sample' from another book, or a collection of chapters from any other published book. THE HUNTERS is a wholly original work that cannot be found anywhere else, in any of my other books. I wrote it with the intention that it would be offered for free. I make this very clear in the Readers Note that accompanies the work--but it seems many did not read that section. THE HUNTERS was written so that readers who have never tried my work could get a free, unique taste, and so longtime readers could get a brand new story that fleshed out characters while offering some great suspense.

I am proud of this story. It contains perhaps my favorite Jack O'Donnell scene ever. I am surprised and saddened to hear people claim they were 'duped'. This novella is offered for free; nobody ever paid a penny for this ebook, which I put considerable effort into. If you dislike the content, fair enough, but it is and hopefully always will be free. If you enjoy THE HUNTERS, I hope you might try one of my novels. If you don't like the ebook, that is your right, but please base those criticisms on content rather than false assumptions. I happen to think it's a pretty suspenseful and even emotional story. Either way, please decide for yourself.

You can download THE HUNTERS on:

Amazon Kindle

Barnes & Noble Nook

Sony E-reader

PDF

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:34:00 +0000

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2010, with plenty of thrills and chills from your favorite authors (and maybe some new ones to boot). I hope you enjoyed 2009's releases of THE FURY and THE DARKNESS, as well as the free ebook THE HUNTERS. Stay tuned for even more exciting stories!

All my best,

Jason Pinter

THE HUNTERS: never-before-published ebook available now!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Starting today, you can download the FREE never-before-published Henry Parker ebook novella THE HUNTERS. This free book is available on both the Amazon Kindle and for many other ereaders and your home PC (includingthe Cooler e-reader, Sony e-reader, and the Barnes & Noble Nook)

Inside this tightly coiled package you'll get:

--THE HUNTERS: a thrilling novella that packs as much suspense and emotion into its pages as possible.

--An exclusive note from me to readers

--A "Who's Who" in the world of Henry Parker

--An exclusive excerpt from my next Henry Parker novel: THE DARKNESS.

Download THE HUNTERS for:

Amazon Kindle

PDF/Other ereaders (read this novella right from your computer screen!)

After one of the most harrowing weeks of Henry Parker's life, night has finally come. Settled in with Amanda Davies, he sleeps before preparing to chase a story alongside his mentor, Jack O'Donnell.

Meanwhile Jack sits on the other side of town, fresh out of rehab, hoping to salvage a once-great career derailed by public humiliation. This is Jack's last chance to leave his mark.

Elsewhere in the city, two killers are on the move. They are brutal, calculating, and after tonight their decade's long plan will come to fruition. But before the morning comes they have a few stops to make...

THE HUNTERS - On the Prowl November 1st

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Coming November 1st

Meanwhile Jack sits on the other side of town, fresh out of rehab, hoping to salvage a once-great career derailed by public humiliation. This is Jack's last chance to leave his mark.

THE HUNTERS is a brand new, never-before-published novella that will be released exclusively as an ebook starting November 1st, 2009. It will be available on the Kindle, Cooler, Sony ereader, and all your favorite ereaders, as well as a digital download to read right on your computer.

I packed as much mayhem into these pages as possible, and I think you'll be shocked at just what will happen when the sun goes down...

Independent Bookstores love THE FURY and THE DARKNESS!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:20:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announce that both THE FURY and THE DARKNESS have been selected as Indiebound picks for the upcoming months.

THE FURY was named an Indie Next Notable selection for November, while THE DARKNESS is an Indie Next pick, garnering the tagline "Great Reads From Booksellers You Trust".

Independent bookstores have been incredibly supportive of my books, and I can't thank them enough for this honor. Pick up a copy of THE FURY now and THE DARKNESS on November 24th at your local independent bookstore. Visit Indiebound for info on where you can find my books, as well as great reads from your other favorite authors.

THE MARK takes down Dan Brown!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:16:00 +0000

Big News:

A few days ago, THE MARK became available as a free download on the Amazon Kindle for one week (through October 5th). Well, I'm thrilled to announce that for three straight days, THE MARK, has been #1 on the Kindle bestseller charts, ahead of THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown!

That's right, the first Henry Parker novel is currently ahead of one of the biggest publishing events in history, and it's all thanks to the readers who spread the word and downloaded THE MARK to their Kindle, iPhone or iPod Touch. Thank you for making this happen, and I hope this book will whet readers' appetites for the other books in the Parker series. And here's the proof!

Read THE MARK for free!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:49:00 +0000

All this week at the Amazon Kindle store, you can download the first book in my bestselling, multi award-nominated Henry Parker series. And if you like it--there are many more to whet your thriller appetite!

Download THE MARK for free here: THE MARK download

Four Stars for THE FURY!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:01:00 +0000

From RT Book Reviews:

"A well-crafted mystery that leaves some intriguing questions unanswered, this story will whet readers' appetites for the next Parker book. As always, the hero's wisecracking first-person point of view is a highlight. Four Stars."

James Ellroy and the 5 words that inspired THE FURY

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Five words.

Five words that have stayed with me for years, always on the back burner of my brain ever since I read them in a fairly worn copy of a paperback book purchased at the Strand bookstore in New York City.

Five words that on the page seem fairly innocuous, but reading them over ten years ago inspired nearly two hundred thousand words and two books that will be published within two months of each other this Fall/Winter. These five words epitomize the depth, strength, vitality and pain I try to infuse in my books and within my characters. Five simple words.

Bud White refused to die.

When I first read James Ellroy’s L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, it was because there was a movie adaptation hitting the screen. It starred two Australians (Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce) in the role of Los Angeles cops, and I had heard terrific things about the book it was based on. The year was 1997, and I was still something of a novice when it came to crime fiction. I was not yet eighteen years old when the film came out, and my thin history with the genre was thanks solely to my father. Every week or so, he would come back with a stack of books from The Black Orchid, a lovely independent mystery bookstore on the Upper East Side, and upon finishing each tome he would pass it along to me. Needless to say in 1997, I had a lot of catching up to do.

So that year, in advance of the film release, I picked up a used copy of L.A. CONFIDENTIAL at the Strand (I could not find a new edition), took it home and sat down to read. Just a few short days later, I was done. And I was stunned. And despite the labyrinthine plot, the myriad characters all with dirt under their fingernails, and the snapshot of an era before my time taken through a cracked lens, it was these five simple words that stayed with me: Bud White refused to die.

Those words haunted and inspired me. I wanted to write a book that, like Ellroy’s could be massive and complex, yet populated by characters whose breath you could smell through the pages. A book that began with what seemed like a simple, isolated crime (in Ellroy’s book, the Nite Owl Massacre), but as you read further you realized it was simply the tip of the iceberg.

When it came time to write my fourth Henry Parker novel, I wanted to try something like what Ellroy had done: start the book with a supposed isolated crime (in my book, the murder of a good-for-nothing junkie named Stephen Gaines), that unraveled into something far more sinister. I wanted the crimes and in this book to be symptomatic of the era I lived in, as Ellroy’s’s books were. And as I began to write, I realized my saga needed to span two books.

THE FURY will be released on September 29th, and the concluding volume, THE DARKNESS, will be released on November 24th. As many of you are aware, the economy has sapped a great deal from our country, and perhaps no industry looks different now than finance. So the questions these two books asks is this: If your wealth were to simply disappear, just how far would you go to get it back? Would you lie? Would you steal? Would you kill?

These books are my ode to Mr. Ellroy’s creation, Officer Wendell White. May he never die.

Coming in November: A brand new Henry Parker ebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:43:00 +0000

While most of you know that I have two books coming out this Fall--THE FURY and THE DARKNESS--I'm thrilled to announce that they will be joined by a brand new, never-before-published Henry Parker ebook novella entitled THE HUNTERS. This ebook is meant as a lead-in to THE DARKNESS, which will be released on November 24th. I will release more details on this ebook shortly, but I think I packed as much suspense and more emotion into this novella as it could handle. In this ebook you will learn more about Henry, Jack and Amanda--as well as witnessing more of the terrible truth behind the enigmatic person only known as The Fury.

As we approach release day, I will let you know where you can download and read THE HUNTERS. I hope you enjoy this ebook, and may it whet your appetite for what's to come.

September 29th: THE FURY

November: THE HUNTERS

November 24th: THE DARKNESS

Library Journal raves about THE FURY!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:14:00 +0000

Pinter, Jason. The Fury. Mira. Oct. 2009. c.384p. ISBN 978-0-7783-2627-4. pap. $7.99. F
A homeless man confronts newspaper reporter Henry Parker and then runs away. Later, the police inform him that the vagrant has been murdered and that evidence points to his being Parker's brother. The idea that he had a sibling he never knew about proves too tantalizing to resist, and Parker sets out to solve the crime and confront his father. When the evidence points to his father as the killer, however, Parker must use all of the tricks of his trade to establish his father's innocence, even though he hates the man. VERDICT Pinter does it again with his fourth Henry Parker outing (after the Crimespree-nominated The Stolen), an emotional and suspenseful journey with an engaging protagonist. While this one, the first of a two-book saga, ends on an obvious note, it's still a solid page-turner that would have been worthwhile value at a hardcover price. [The second half, The Darkness, will be published in December.—Ed.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.

THE STOLEN is nominated for the Shamus award!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:37:00 +0000

I'm thrilled to announced that my third Henry Parker novel, THE STOLEN, has been nominated for the prestigious Shamus award. The Shamus is given out every year by the Private Eye Writers of America, and has a long and storied tradition. This is a tremendous honor, and my sincerest thanks go out to the members of PWA, and, of course to the readers. Here is the rest of the press release, which can also be found at the PWA blog:

From Ted Fitzgerald, Awards Chair:

PRIVATE EYE WRITERS OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES
2009 SHAMUS AWARDS NOMINEES

The Private Eye Writers of America (PWA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 28th annual Shamus Awards, given annually to recognize outstanding achievement in private eye fiction. The 2009 awards cover works first published in the U.S. in 2008. The awards will be presented at the PWA banquet, to be held Friday evening Oct. 16, 2009, in Indianapolis, Indiana, during the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention. For banquet details, contact Robert J. Randisi at rrandisi@aol.com.

2009 Shamus Awards Nominees

Best Hardcover
Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart (Nation Books), featuring Carl Vanderveer
Empty Ever After by Reed Farrel Coleman (Bleak House Books), featuring Moe Prager
The Blue Door by David Fulmer (Harcourt), featuring Eddie Cero
The Price of Blood by Declan Hughes (Wm. Morrow), featuring Ed Loy
The Ancient Rain by Domenic Stansberry (St. Martins Minotaur) featuring Dante Mancuso

Best First PI Novel
Stalking Susan by Julie Kramer (Doubleday), featuring Riley Spartz
Swann’s Last Song by Charles Salzberg (Five Star), featuring Henry Swann
The Eye of Jade by Diane Wei Liang (Simon & Schuster), featuring Mei Wang
In the Heat by Ian Vasquez (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Miles Young
Veil of Lies by Jeri Westerson (St Martins Minotaur), featuring Crispin Guest

Best Paperback Original
Snow Blind by Lori Armstrong (Medallion) featuring Julie Collins
Shot Girl by Karen Olson (Obsidian) featuring Annie Seymour
The Stolen by Jason Pinter (MIRA) featuring Henry Parker
The Black Hand by Will Thomas (Touchstone/Simon &Schuster) featuring Cyrus Barker and Thomas Llewelyn.
The Evil That Men Do by Dave White (Crown/Three Rivers Press) featuring Jackson Donne

Best Short Story
“Family Values” by Mitch Alderman (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, June 2008), featuring Bubba Simms
“Last Island South” by John C. Boland. (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Sep/Oct 2008), featuring Meggie Trevor
“The Blonde Tigress” by Max Allan Collins (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, June 2008), featuring Nate Heller
“Discovery” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Nov 2008), featuring Pita Cárdenas
“Panic on Portage Path” by Dick Stodghill (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, Jan/Feb 2008), featuring Jack Eddy and Bram Geary.

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PWA was founded in 1981 by Robert J. Randisi to recognize the private eye genre and its writers. Previous Shamus winners include Lawrence Block, Ken Bruen, Harlan Coben, Max Allan Collins, Michael Connelly, Robert Crais, O’Neil deNoux, Brendan DuBois, Loren D. Estleman, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera, Sue Grafton, James W. Hall, Steve Hamilton, Jeremiah Healy, Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, John Lutz, Bill Pronzini, S.J. Rozan, Sandra Scoppettone and Don Winslow. P.I. Guy logo by Terry Beatty.

Why is Reed Farrel Coleman scared of Jason Pinter?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:09:00 +0000

If you watch this video, you'll see that they have a WHOLE lot in common...and you'll understand why renowned author Reed Farrel Coleman is just a little bit scared. Happy viewing!

Grand Reopening!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:51:00 +0000

Today marks the official relaunch of JasonPinter.com. With the publication of two new books, THE FURY and THE DARKNESS, on the visible horizon, I thought this would be a good opportunity to start fresh, reorganize, and give readers a chance to find out more about these new books.

But enough about that...THERE ARE PRIZES TO WIN!

By clicking here, you can enter to win a smorgasbord of awesome prizes, including:

--Win a character named after you (or friend/family member of your choice) in a future Jason Pinter novel!

--A $100 gift certificate to iTunes!

--A $100 gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice!

--Signed advance copies of THE FURY and THE DARKNESS!

--In addition, 5 winners will each receive autographed copies of the first three books in the Henry Parker series (THE MARK, THE GUILTY and THE STOLEN).

To enter, click here and follow the extremely simple instructions. Good luck, happy reading, and stay tuned!

THE STOLEN is Nominated for a CrimeSpree Award!

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:46:00 +0000

I woke up this morning to find out that THE STOLEN had been nominated for a CrimeSpree award! Naturally I'm thrilled about this. And the reason I use the word 'had' instead of 'has' is because it's not too often you learn that you were nominated for an award and lost it on the same day. Guess it saves the anxiety of waiting.

Thanks to the good folks at CrimeSpree and the people who voted, and my heartiest congratulations to all the winners and nominees. There are some great books and great authors on this list, and it's cool just to be a part of it. Check out the full list of winners and nominees over at the CrimeSpree blog.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:42:00 +0000

G.I. Joe: The Movie

The Anatomy of Creating Anti-Buzz

(with an update written on 8/4/09--see end of post)

There's some bad buzz going around for the big screen adaptation of the popular cartoon show. I was a HUGE G.I. Joe fan growing up. Can't say I was thrilled to hear they were making a movie, but the first "Transformers" was far better than I expected. Anyway, when I saw the trailer my thought was, "Ugh...this looks terrible."

Now, I'm not a snob, and in fact I enjoyed "The Mummy" (also directed by Stephen Sommers). As we saw with "Iron Man" and "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" a really good trailer gets people juiced for the film (the IM trailer was so good that The Onion worried about stretching it out to feature film length). So here is a total breakdown of why the G.I. Joe trailer does not work. Here is the actual trailer, so you can follow along at home:

0:11 - Reveal of an underground lair that looks less like 'Cool and ominous' and more like 'Spongebob Squarepants'.

0:15 - Action Movie Cliche #1: Generic bad guy with unidentifiable accent saying, "I want the warheads ready to launch in one hour." Wait, why does that sound familiar...oh yeah!

Dr. Evil: "Here's the plan...we get the warhead and we hold the world ransom for...one million dollars!"

0:19 - Action Movie Cliche 2: Evil guy, over scenes of cartoonish effects and earth-boring drills: "When I'm finished, the world will never forget." Hey, you know who else used drills to deliver their warheads? DR. EVIL!!!!

0:30 - What looks like stock footage of warheads being fired. (wait, what was the point of the drills if they just launch the rockets into the air?)

0:36 - Rocket hits the Eiffel tower. And no, it's not an explosive warhead, it's...green gunk? Ectoplasm? Regardless, the problem with this scene is that in this Michael Bay movie world, we've seen the destruction of so many landmarks, and done with such better effects than in this scene. The effects in this scene are so bad that they look like a spoof of a Michael Bay movie (more than one person has commented that this movie looks like "Team America" only done with real actors. You're practically waiting for the Eiffel Tower to fall onto the Louvre)

0:52 - Action Movie Cliche #3: Dennis Quaid (in total paycheck mode) says, "We have never faced a threat like this."

0:57 - Action Movie Cliche #4: Quaid: "A team is being assembled." (Seriously, could Quaid sound any more weary or any less interested in his dialogue?)

1:00 - Action Movie Cliche #5: Quaid (again...sense a pattern?): "They are the best operatives in the world." (of course they are...sigh...of course they are)

1:03 - Action Movie Cliche #6: Quaid (good lord, how did he say these lines with a straight face?): "When all else fails...we don't."

1:10 - The Best Operatives in the World are given 'Accelerator Suits'. "What do they accelerate?" Duke asks. "You," replies the random in-charge dude.

Now, here's my biggest problem with this movie. In the cartoons, G.I. Joe wore uniforms that were colorful, camouflaged, patriotic. In the movie, they're jet black. No personality, nothing identifiable whatsoever.

Cartoon Duke vs. Movie Duke

Cartoon Hawk vs. Movie Hawk

Cartoon Ripcord vs. Movie Ripcord

Cartoon Baroness vs. Movie Baroness

My assumption? The studio (or other suits) felt that making a movie that was 'Too American' might hurt overseas box office. Problem is, now you have a movie that's bland as can be. Can you imagine if Iron Man's suit was black? Or if Optimus Prime was a rusty gray? These characters became popular for a reason, and the movie is just washing that out. What's the point of making a G.I. Joe movie if it has nothing to do with the cartoon? In fact, without the end credits to tell you the title of this movie, you would never have any idea it was even created in the same universe as the cartoon.

1:25 - After a few decent-looking action snippets, we launch right back into Action Movie Cliche #7: Quaid: "This is General Hawk. Mission is a go." (Of course it is! If it wasn't, we wouldn't have a movie! And what the hell is their mission? Stop the bad guy? Pick up some Lunchables?)

1:34 - Action Movie Cliche #8: Duke yelling, "Go go go!"

1:45 - Action Movie Cliche #9: Scarlett O'Hara: "We're running out of time!" (followed by Ripcord's plane getting ensnared by that cheesy green ectoplasm. Seriously, "Ghostbusters" came out in 1984 and their slime was more realistic)

1:58 - Even the G.I. Joe logo is now bland and devoid of personality!

Cartoon Logo vs. Movie Logo

2:01 - Action Movie Cliche #10: Baroness: "This has only just begun." (Mercy, I beg of you...)

2:06 - The trailer's 'Money Shot': Two completely unidentifiable guys (guys? girls? who can tell?) dodging a missile by doing all sorts of acrobatic maneuvers that look as realistic as Joan Rivers's face.

So let's analyze why this trailer sucks:

#1: For the most part, the special effects look cheesy and cartoonish compared to movies like "Transformers" and "Iron Man".

#2: G.I. Joe became popular for a reason. Kids loved the uniforms, the characters, the personalities. In this trailer, nobody is identified, nobody has any personalities, and all the uniforms are stark black. Hence at the end, when the two uniformed guys are hurtling through the air, you have no idea who they are. They could even be bad guys since everyone in the movie seems to have been tailored by Darth Vader. I mean, the G.I. Joe theme was one of the most recognizable cartoon themes of all time. (G.I. Joe! The real American Hero...) At least in their movie the Transformers still made that cool noise when they changed into cars and back.

#3: And perhaps the most egregious...there is not a single line of dialogue in this trailer that doesn't come from the moldy Action Movie Cliche book. Seriously, every single line of dialogue is groan-worthy, and delivered with a complete lack of emotion. You can almost sense the shame in the voice of Dennis Quaid (an underrated actor) when he delivers such ludicrous bon mots. And what's the point of having Marlon Wayans? Marlon is a terrific comedic actor who has also had one fantastic, award-worthy serious role (in "Requiem for a Dream" - one of my all-time favorite movies). But here? He has no funny lines, and does nothing of note. Other than Quaid, he's the most recognizable actor here, yet he does nothing except allow the audience to say, "hey, I know him!"

In the end, the trailer looks cheesy, bland and stupid. Now the movie might be a totally different experience (I doubt it, but let's give them a chance), but they could not have gotten people less excited than if they had a monkey fling feces at the audience during the trailer.

UPDATE: 8/4/09

Shockingly (or perhaps not), G.I. JOE seems to actually be getting some pretty good buzz. The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are pretty darn positive, and it appears G.I. JOE might be more "The Mummy" than "The Mummy 2". Still doubt I'll see it, but I will happily be proven wrong in my early assessments of the film's quality. Still, this not does detract from the fact that the trailer sucks, and if the movie is in fact good then whoever put the trailer together did the movie a great disservice.

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:03:00 +0000

New Interview

Last month I did an interview with the Waterstone's website for THE STOLEN, but we touched on a number of topics. For Yankees, Waterstone's is basically the Barnes & Noble of the UK.

The interview can be read here. (Scroll about halfway down the page)

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:20:00 +0000

THE DARKNESS

coming December 1st, 2009

So here it is at long last, the final cover for the second of my two books coming out this year, THE DARKNESS. Along with THE FURY (in stores 10/01/09), THE DARKNESS makes up one massive storyline covering two books that will change Henry Parker's life forever.

I'm incredibly proud of these two books, how they feel both intimate yet something on a large scale. They are ripped from today's headlines, yet are based on historical events that present a frightening 'What If?' scenario that may already be taking place.

For fans of the whole Henry Parker series, THE FURY and THE DARKNESS are the most explosive, personal and timely books yet. For newcomers, this is a two-part story that will hopefully rock your world and serve as a thrilling introduction to the series.

This two-part story was inspired by James Ellroy's brilliant masterpiece L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, for reasons that I will happily go into as we approach publication date. I'm not going to post the official description quite yet, but I will leave you with this small teaser...

What happens when a city on the brink--finally gets pushed over the edge?

noreply@blogger.com (Jason Pinter) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:58:00 +0000

Who Doesn't Get It?

I woke up early this morning, flipped on ESPN and caught the tail end of "The Sports Reporters." I enjoy the show--despite it often coming off as preachy--but something Mitch Albom said caught my attention. During his final monologue, Albom discussed the death of Walter Cronkite. In doing so, Albom stated that young people "Don't see what the big deal is" about the legendary newsman.

Now, at 29 I'm not quite sure I can still consider myself--or speak for--'young people', but that didn't stop me from finding Albom's remarks incredibly condescending. I'm sure if you asked Albom what his kids thought about Cronkite, he would say they had tremendous reverence and respect for the man. So the 'young people' Albom is talking about are not his kids, they're yours or even perhaps you.

First of all, I think young people have as much respect for Cronkite--who came to prominence decades before people my age were even born--as you can have for someone whom you did not personally witness at the peak of their career. Naturally there will be something of a disconnect, likely the same way Albom's parents didn't see what the big deal was about Elvis or Woodstock. I have tremendous respect for Cronkite, but he declared his retirement in 1980, when I was exactly one year old, and he began anchoring the CBS evening news in 1962, 17 years before I was born. The vast majority of my knowledge about Cronkite comes from reading about him after the fact, yet I absolutely do know why he is a 'big deal'. And if you take a cursory glance over at his mentions on Twitter, a great many people from my generation revere the man's career and his influence.

Second, I guarantee Albom's statement was not made after polling hundreds of young people (and what age does the term 'young people' encompass? 18? 25? 38? 6? I picture Albom as the judge from 'My Cousin Vinny' asking, "What is a yout?"). It was made from of a feeling of superiority that he understands the significance of Cronkite's life whereas all these stupid little kids--what with their Xboxes and their Beyonces and their YouTubes--do not. Here's the thing: if people who grew up with Cronkite and understand his significance take the time to explain his legacy to those who did not witness it, odds are they would respect the man. Now, I respect what Albom has done in terms of philanthropy and I happen to think he's a pretty good sportswriter. But if these young people Albom refers to don't see what the big deal is, it is not their fault but the fault of those in Albom's generation who failed to teach them.

The bottom line is this: young people look up to those who speak to them, not at them. And by making such a silly, contrived, out-of-touch statement, I dare say that Albom is the one who doesn't get it.